Skip to main navigation

Catalogue Blog

Independent Movie Theatres are the Stuff Community is Made Of

I’ve always loved movies. I come by it almost genetically. My father taught film production at various universities during my childhood, and I grew up on a steady diet of indie, niche, and foreign films: The Last Unicorn and The Point probably being the two most memorable and most watched in our household.

But it was in Argentina, on an academic research grant, that I fell in love with film. Not “movies,” but film itself as a medium.

I went to Argentina with a single, albeit complex question: how does a society heal from trauma on a massive scale? Argentina suffered a brutal military dictatorship from 1976 until 1983, during which time over 30,000 “leftist rebels” were “disappeared” by the regime. In 2007, when I was doing my research, the nation was still grappling with the fallout. For a while after my arrival, I posed that single question to everyone I met, and at first the answer surprised me, until I’d gotten the answer so many times it couldn’t be coincidence. Most Argentines I spoke to directed me to a single film: La historia oficial (The Official Story).

GREENBELT 3

La historia oficial tells the story of Alicia, a high school history teacher who is leading a comfortable life with her husband, Roberto, a businessman with ties to the military, and their adopted daughter. When Alicia begins to wonder about the identity of her daughter’s birth parents, she finds herself suspecting that she may be the child of people abducted or killed by the government. She is faced with an impossible choice: live knowing her child is missed by her real family or give up the thing she loves most in the world.

The film came out as Argentines were first learning that, during the dictatorship, children had been abducted from rebel parents and given as rewards to those loyal to the regime. As a country, they were struggling to cope politically and legally with the issue. But the film gave the country a glimpse into the individual, personal heartbreak obscured by the headlines: that real mothers, both biological and adoptive, were being faced with a no-win scenario. And in making the political personal, the film kick-started a national healing process.

What made me fall in love with film was understanding that it is so much more than entertainment or even education. Film is, to my mind, the most visceral way to tell stories, and humans need to tell stories. It’s how we understand ourselves, our families, our communities, and ultimately, our entire society. Stories define our nation, our religious traditions, and even our most intimate unit: the family. Those stories tell us who we are.

While I have been, from my youth, a great believer in the power of film, after my time in Argentina, I see it as a vital necessity to any community.

But film in the U.S. today has a problem. Our media is evermore mediated, and the stories that need to be told aren’t getting out there. Six companies own almost all media: and that’s not just film, that’s news, television, online portals, and more. The barometer they use on funding film projects is what will make the most money, not what stories need to be told. So they put their faith in what they know: the same old directors and regurgitated plotlines. And since the studios hold all the cards, they can charge gigantic licensing fees, ask for 90 or 100% of a theater’s ticket sales, and even take a cut of concessions sales. The only way to survive in that context is to be a giant corporation with pull of your own, and even then to survive, the multiplexes charge prices so high that film is becoming increasingly out of reach for the average American (whose income is decreasing).

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

That’s why, in 2015, when I met Dr. Caitlin McGrath, I was immediately hooked on her vision to turn the Old Greenbelt Theatre into a nonprofit, arthouse cinema. Revitalize this a historic gem of a theater by: showing films that make people think; creating a space where the community can come together to digest, unpack, and process these films; and do everything possible to make these films accessible to everyone?regardless of age, income, or ability. It’s what every community needs, and we are beyond lucky to have this resource in Prince George’s County.

The Old Greenbelt Theatre is run as a nonprofit because we are mission-driven, not profit-driven. As a nonprofit, we can solicit the support of our community so that when we lose money showing a film (which we regularly do since studios can demand such a deep cut of our profits) we can still exist to screen more films that our community wants or needs to see. If we were worried about a wide profit margin, we wouldn’t have brought you Transit, If Beale Street Could Talk, Boy Erased or even First Man.

Independent movie theaters are closing down all across the country. They can’t compete in a corporate world that is cannibalizing the very locales that show their films. But there are important movies being made that need to be seen and not on a smartphone (as much as I applaud Netflix and Amazon for picking up the mantle of independent filmmaking). Film is at its most powerful when witnessed in community.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

That’s what we’re doing here at the Old Greenbelt Theatre. As a nonprofit, we bring you films from screenwriters and directors outside the mainstream. We provide a place to experience these films in community, and I truly do mean experience, because we follow up so many of our screenings with guest speakers and Q&A sessions. It doesn’t pay to do guest speakers. It’s something we do because it’s important.

We’re a nonprofit because we serve a vital role in our community. We aren’t providing bread or shelter, that’s very true. But in many ways, we are creating a safe haven. A place where people of all walks of life can come, see themselves on the big screen, and have their experience understood by the community. We’re helping tell the stories our community needs to hear, and stories are the very stuff of which community is made.

By Kelly McLaughlin, Director of Marketing & Development, Friends of Greenbelt Theatre

“Community Leaders Share Their Stories”

storytapestriesforweb

Story Tapestries will present a unique invitation-only event, called Threads of Change: Supporting Our Stories, to present the first annual Community Voices Awards and to launch their presence in The Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington. The event will be hosted at the appointment-only Dennis and Phillip Ratner Museum in Bethesda, Maryland on November 13, 2018, from 6:30pm to 8:30pm.

During this visually and emotionally stimulating event, Story Tapestries will also recognize the following honorees for their dedication to unity through the arts:

Carol Trawick, Founder of the Trawick Foundation Fred Brown, Civil Rights Activist Mimi Hassanein, Office of Community Partnerships and Activist Regie Cabico, Award-winning Poet, Performing and Teaching Artist Willkie Farr & Gallagher, LLP

In addition, two local students will be recognized for their contributions and involvement in Amplify US! Initiative. Amplify US! is a community-driven initiative designed to use the arts to build cultural bridges.

Story Tapestries, headquartered in Germantown, Maryland, was founded in 2010 by international performing and teaching artist, Arianna Ross. “Story Tapestries truly believes in the power of the arts to empower, educate and engage. This year is our first annual presentation of the Community Voices Awards to honor community members and leaders who represent the three core values of Story Tapestries: Empower, Educate, Engage. The moment arrived for Story Tapestries to create a time and space for these unique voices to be heard and to shine light on their incredible impact.”

The Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington has selected Story Tapestries, Inc. to be part of the Class of 2018-19. The Catalogue has recognized how Story Tapestries uses the power of the Arts woven with STEM, Literacy, Social Development, and other strategies to educate and empower communities to develop blueprints for success. This year the Catalogue celebrates its 16th anniversary: since its inception, it has raised $40 million for nonprofits in the region. It also offers trainings, neighborhood-based opportunities for collaboration, and a speakers series for individuals who want to learn about and engage with the needs, challenges, and accomplishments of our shared community. “People want to know where to give and they need trusted information. Based on our in-depth review, we believe that Story Tapestries, Inc. is one of the best community-based nonprofits in the region,” says Bob Wittig, Executive-Director of the Catalogue for Philanthropy. You can visit the Catalogue at: https://www.cfp- dc.org/nonprofits/1723/Story-Tapestries-Inc/

About Story Tapestries:

Story Tapestries promotes the power of storytelling to introduce positive change in the community, and empowers educators across the globe to creatively weave music, dance and other art forms into language arts, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. These practices are used to help individuals overcome economic, cultural and emotional barriers. For more information, listen to the radio show, “A Kind Voice,” which recently interviewed Arianna where she discussed Story Tapestries’ initiative on Global Giving to use arts-based methods to approach STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) education. You can hear to the full interview here: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/akindvoice/2018/10/25/a-kind-voice-radio–arianna-ross). Learn more by visiting: www.storytapestries.org.

###

For more information, contact: Lorienne Beals, Development Director development@storytapestries.org

Educational Theatre Company celebrates 20 years of Changing Lives Through the Arts!

IMG_6547

Educational Theatre Company (ETC) invites the community to its 20th birthday fundraiser to celebrate 20 years as a vital part of the Arlington Arts community. Since its founding in 1998, ETC has been committed to the mission of unlocking the potential of children and adults, ages 3 – 103, through immersion in theatre arts. ETC places a focus on student written, process-driven work with programs that foster creativity, teach collaboration and community, and give students a sense of confidence in their own story.

IMG_0039 (1)

Community members are invited to attend ETC‘s birthday party fundraiser on Saturday, November 17. This fundraiser, featuring live performances, music, refreshments, and a silent auction will allow ETC to continue its long tradition of bringing theatre arts to underserved members of the community, ensuring location and economic status are not barriers to participation. The birthday party is from 2:00 – 5:00 pm, in the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) building at 4301 Wilson Blvd. Tickets are $10 per child, $20 per adult, and $40 for a family, and are available at www.educationaltheatrecompany.org.

IMG_7650

Community members are also invited to see ETC in action by attending the original musical Two Ways to Count to Ten, the McKinley Elementary Main Stage Residency production. Under the guidance of ETC‘s teaching artists, 2nd through 5th-grade students develop an original script and lyrics, create their costumes, set, and props. This will be the 30th McKinley Main Stage show, continuing the longest running arts partnership with Arlington Public Schools. The free performances are Thursday, November 15 and Friday, November 16 at 7:00 pm at McKinley Elementary School, 1030 North McKinley Road, in Arlington.

IMG_5863 (1)

A Young Performing Artist’s Dream Comes True

Screen Shot 2018-02-13 at 3.56.43 PMAt just 16 years-old, Mateo Ferro only dreamed of performing at The Kennedy Center in a Lin-Manuel Miranda Tony Award Winning musical. But, right now, he is rehearsing alongside stars like Vanessa Hudgens and Eden Espinosa for just that dream. Last month Broadwayworld.com and Playbill.com announced that Ferro was cast in the Washington, DC premiere of IN THE HEIGHTS, to run at The Kennedy Center from March 21st to March 25th.

Ferro has been a dedicated performing arts student since he was a student at Rocky Hill Middle School, but it wasn’t until he enrolled in Young Artists of America at Strathmore (YAA), a 2017-2018 Catalogue nonprofit, that his dream of professional performances was realized. Young Artists of America at Strathmore is the region’s premier training organization for collaborative performing artists. It is the only known program in the nation where high school students receive mentorship and individualized instruction from renowned artists while training to perform fully-orchestrated works of music-theatre in state-of-the-art venues. With campuses in Montgomery County, MD and Howard County, MD, students from all over the mid-Atlantic region participate in their Performing Ensembles, while many travel from overseas for their Summer Performing Arts Intensives.Screen Shot 2018-02-13 at 3.52.06 PM

Although Ferro only needed to travel from Clarksburg, MD, his experience at last year’s Summer Intensive set this dream in motion. Ferro was cast as the lead, playing Usnavi in YAA’s summer showcase production of IN THE HEIGHTS. His performance, which he perfected during the two-week summer intensive, made a lasting impression on YAA’s Founder and Artistic Director, Rolando Sanz. So much so, that when Sanz was contacted by The Kennedy Center’s Casting Director over the fall of 2017 in search of a young, local performer who could also rap, Sanz thought of Ferro immediately. The Casting Director then invited Ferro to audition for the role of Sonny, and Ferro was subsequently cast.

Read more about Ferro’s story in his own words and watch highlights of his performance here.

“The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it”

By Jeanne E. Harrison,Producing Artistic Director, Traveling Players Ensemble
HamletRoyalsTraveling Players Ensemble is a not-for-profit theater company whose mission is to bring great theater into the great outdoors. Kids from Virginia, Maryland, and DC join ensembles to learn and perform plays by Shakespeare and Moliere, Greek myths, and fairy tales retold using the Commedia dell’Arte style.

At the company’s landmark summer camp, performers in elementary through high school rehearse and perform outdoors, working with professional directors and designers. Younger players tour their productions locally, while older performers depart on multi-day tours to outdoor venues like Skyline Drive’s Skyland Amphitheater, Lime Kiln Theater, and Douthat State Park. High schoolers camp out near their performance venues like traveling Renaissance artists.
MacbethWitchesTraveling Players Ensemble puts the “camp” back in “summer camp.” Our no-phone policy allows performers to learn high-level language skills, teamwork, camaraderie, and problem solving skills, all while creating lifelong friendships and a deep love and stewardship of the great outdoors. Our teaching artists return yearly to help our kids create theater and watch them grow as artists and people over the summer, and then from year to year as so many campers return to Traveling Players again and again!

CommCW_2186

The cold snap at the end of 2017 made for a not so happy start to the new year for Traveling Players Ensemble. Pipes froze and burst in the donated storage space housing Traveling Players’ 4,000+ costume pieces, props, and camping equipment. As temperatures rose, water rained down, saturating ceiling tiles and collapsing large portions of ceiling into the storage space. The leak soaked expensive costumes donated by the Washington Metropolitan Opera, tents used on tour, sleeping bags used by scholarship students who may not have the means to purchase them for tours, and thousands of articles of clothing used every summer and winter by TPE’s costume and prop artists to create the worlds inhabited by our performers.

Over hill, over dale,
Thorough bush, thorough brier,
Over park, over pale,
Thorough flood, thorough fire.
I do wander everywhere
Swifter than the moon’s sphere.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare

Miser BowWe may not be preparing for the arrival of the Queen and her elves, but we are a resilient community of performers, teaching artists, staff, and families. Our community responded to the flood with a brigade of volunteers who laundered and salvaged costume pieces. Alums and staff rolled up their sleeves to excavate the storage space with no heat and no bathrooms. Families, alumni, and friends banded together to donate more than $6,000 in a week. We are so thankful for the outpouring of support from our community, but we need more help now and in the months to come.

Here are some things you can do to help:

Boost our signal!

Know kids who would be perfect for our programs? Let them know! Enrollment is open for 2018′s summer camp. Early Bird enrollment ends on February 10th. Share information on your social media channels and on your school and community listservs. Here is a link to our summer camp signup information. Also, share this post so others can learn about Traveling Players.

Want to Volunteer? Two Options!

1) Join our all volunteer Board of Directors. We are actively looking for new members to join us. Quarterly meetings and a small Board allow each member to make an impact. Please email Deborah Stein at dlsteinhome@gmail.com to learn more about Board service.

2) Volunteer your time. Enter your information here to be added to our volunteer contact list. Once we secure new storage space, we will need volunteers to move stock into its new home and to organize it. We welcome volunteers grade 7 and up.

Attend a performance!

DATE AND TIME: March 18th at 3 pm

PLACE: The Madeira School, 8328 Georgetown Pike, McLean, VA 22102

WHAT: You can see our younger performers in Winnie the Pooh & Friends. After Pooh and pals leave the Hundred Acre Woods, you can see our high schooler’s stage Euripides’ classic tragedy Trojan Women. Tickets may be purchased at the door.

Calling all Girl Scouts!

Girl Scouts can no longer earn a Theater Badge — unless they do it with us! Yes, we have a limited supply of “Make Your Own” Theater Patches and expert staff to get you through it in an afternoon. Spring dates are April 8, 22 and June 3. Book early as dates are limited.

#TPETuesday.

Search our hashtag and like our posts. Follow us:

Facebook – @Traveling Players Ensemble

Twitter – @travplay

Instagram – travelingplayers

Moliere tells us, “the greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it.” We have glory to share with any and all who respond to our call for help. Join us. All are welcome here!

Applying to the Catalogue with Only Make Believe

by Tamela Aldridge, Regional Director, Only Make Believe
omb2Only Make Believe (OMB),established in 1999 in New York City, is a nonprofit organization that creates and performs interactive theater for chronically ill and disabled children in hospitals and care facilities. Only Make Believe is dedicated to the principle that engaging a child’s imagination is a valuable part of the healing and learning process.

Since our program launch in Washington, DC in 2012, OMB has added special education programs to our growing list of local partner facilities . Combining imaginative play with aspects of the students’ learning curricula enriches their educational experience and retention. Our local partner facilities include: The Children’s Inn at NIH, Children’s National Medical Center, Jill’s House, HSC Pediatric Center – Kids in Action program, St. Coletta of Greater Washington and River Terrace Education Campus.

As a fairly new organization in the DC metro area, we learned about the Catalogue of Philanthropy and its mission in 2013. Having determined our short and long term goals for the DC program, our organization recognized that a partnership with the Catalogue would be greatly instrumental in ensuring our success.
omb4 The ultimate goal for Only Make Believe is to serve as many chronically ill and disabled children in the DC metro area as possible, and to meet this goal OMB needed to become one of the top philanthropic organizations in this area. Partnership with the Catalogue was a huge step towards achieving our goal.

The application process is very thorough. I wouldn’t say its hard, but it require a lot of time to concisely construct thoughtful, accurate and impactful statements which reflect the alignment of your organization to the Catalogue’s mission. This application process is not simply stock answers that you provide for grant applications. Each organization that applies needs to really consider what it would be bringing into a partnership with the Catalogue, not just how the Catalogue can benefit their organization. Also, you definitely need your financial records (990, audit, 501 (c) 3 letter) to be up to date and accurate.
EOY-17OMB applied to the Catalogue three times before being invited to join in partnership. The first rejection in 2014 was due to a lack of clarity and separation between our DC office and our New York headquarters. We learned from this first experience how to present our financials to demonstrate we are a branch of the organization that specifically serves the DC metro area and our operations are contingent upon fundraising done in this area.

The second rejection in 2015 was actually great for us. We were about to see how we had improved from the feedback from the previous year and basically the panelists were uncertain about our longevity in this area since we had been in existence for less than 3 years and had a very small footprint in DC. That being said, OMB decided to forgo applying in 2016, which provided more time to create more local partnerships and serve more chronically ill and disabled children and clearly articulate the impact our organization has in the DC metro area.

Our 2017 application was successful and upon notification of our acceptance, we squealed in delight! Only Make Believe was accepted into the Catalogue of Philanthropy during our 5 year anniversary celebration in DC!
28360853626_6ef2ae6de4_oThe DC staff has received invitations to professional development workshops, organizational assessment of office functionality, online tools and cultural insights since our acceptance in the Catalogue. The support of the Catalogue staff has been immeasurable and the visibility that is provided with acceptance has been awesome.

Our Giving Tuesday campaign results doubled from our previous years, and we’ve received several inquiries from people wanting to volunteer with our organization. But most importantly, being members of the Catalogue took us out of our bubble and showed us there is a robust community of nonprofit organizations in DC of varying sizes, missions, and capabilities. We are able to share with and learn from these fellow nonprofits, which in turn helps in galvanizing all our efforts to support the DC community and continue upward momentum of growth and service.
28111233170_031f89ccdc_oOMB would certainly still apply, but we would be more mindful about how Only Make Believe can add to the collective of wonderful nonprofit organizations that comprise the Catalogue for Philanthropy. With every partnership there is give and take; OMB strives to ensure that we give just as much to support the mission of the Catalogue and our fellow nonprofit partners as they freely give to Only Make Believe.

For more information about Only Make Believe or to volunteer or attend of our our events, visit http://www.onlymakebelieve.org/

To apply to the Catalogue for Philanthropy, visit https://www.cfp-dc.org/cfpdc/apply.php

Around Town 10/20 -11/3

Around town template (6)
Saturday, October 21, 2017
MOMENTUM Gala
Dance Place

Celebrate Dance Place’s next stage at our annual Gala and see Dance Place like you’ve never seen it before!

Explore Dance Place’s arts campus with immersive art installations that merge performance, theater design and technology. Choose your own adventure as you journey through sensory exhibitions that envelop guests in an arts fun-house experience. Discover dancers hidden throughout the spaces, navigate a coliseum of tires, decipher optical illusions and more.

Plus, special guest performance by new Executive Artistic Director Christopher K. Morgan in our theater.

Enjoy tasty libations, bid on our silent auction and end the night with our signature DP dance party!

When: Saturday, October 21, 2017 (7:00 PM)
Where: Dance Place, 3225 8th St NE, Washington, DC 20017 map
Fee: $150
Contact: Amanda Blythe, (202) 269-1601
For more information: click here

Saturday, October 28, 2017
LMnO3
Dance Place

New York City-based trio LMnO3 shifts identities in a kaleidoscopic pageant of status and femininity. B.A.N.G.S.: Made in America uses hard rap, body percussion and a game show to repurpose how we unapologetically wear our own “Beauty, Age, Number, Goodness and Size.” Donning velvet evening wear, rip-stop jumpsuits, snack-filled purses and sensible bathing suits, the dancers explore what they are – and aren’t – qualified to do. Serious play and creative instincts rule as the trio obsesses over the ideas behind B.A.N.G.S., a mnemonic acronym frequently used by French-language learners turned into a handy feminist to-dismantle list.

When: Saturday, October 28, 2017 (8:00 PM)
Where: Dance Place, 3225 8th St NE, Washington, DC 20017 map
Fee: $15 -$30
Contact: Amanda Blythe, (202) 269-1601
For more information: click here

Sunday, October 29, 2017
Complete the Circle FOODRaiser This event is accepting volunteers
Britepaths (formerly Our Daily Bread)

It may seem hard to believe, but 60,000 people in Fairfax County don’t know where their next meal will come from. 28,000 of them are children. Britepaths and Lorton Community Action Center are joining to host their 7th Complete the Circle FOODRaiser to raise awareness about hunger and need in the Fairfax County area and to raise food and funds to feed the hungry in our midst.

Complete the Circle is a joyful service project for community members of all ages. Bring food and/or grocery store gift card donations and participate in a fun public art project called “Art for the Sky.”

The afternoon includes live music with musicians from Cancer Can Rock, children’s activities and refreshments. $10 per participant includes the event T-shirt that will color our Art for the Sky “living picture.” Proceeds and donations from the event will benefit Britepaths and Lorton Community Action Center’s families. Advance registration recommended. On-site registration available.

When: Sunday, October 29, 2017 (1:00 PM – 2:30 PM)
Where: Fairfax High School, 3501 Rebel Run, Fairfax, VA 22030 map
Fee: $10
Volunteer Info: Many volunteers will be needed on Oct. 28 and 29 to help set up and run the event, and to clean up and return donations to Britepaths and LCAC after the event. Volunteer registration will be available soon at: http://www.CompletetheCircleFx.org
Contact: Jennifer Rose, (703) 273-8829
For more information: click here

Wednesday, November 1, 2017
Joy of Motion’s Mixed Movement
Dance Place

Joy of Motion Dance Center brings you Mixed Movement: Entertainment in Motion, a series that mixes dance together with live music, poetry and theater. Join us for a humorous and eclectic night out that’s both thought-provoking and entertaining.

When: Wednesday, November 1, 2017 (8:00 PM)
Where: Dance Place, 3225 8th St NE, Washington, District of Columbia 20017 map
Fee: $15 -$30
Contact: Amanda Blythe, (202) 691-1601
For more information: click here

Around Town 8/12-20

Around town template (4)

Thursday, August 17, 2017

Children of Eden

The Theatre Lab School of the Dramatic Arts

An epic musical with a large and diverse cast of characters, Children of Eden starts with the very beginning: the creation of the universe. Drawing from the Book of Genesis, its authors have examined the familiar stories of Adam, Eve, Cain, Abel and many other iconic figures through a family lens exploring themes of parenting, personal choices, the value of questioning and, ultimately, the need for “letting go” of the ones you love. With music that is at turns soaring (The Spark of Creation), foot-stomping (Ain’t It Good) and deeply moving (In Whatever Time We Have), Stephen Schwartz (Wicked) and John Caird (Les Miserables) have created a musical that is joyful, inspiring, poignant, and full of humor.

Event Information

  • When: Thursday, August 17, 2017 (7:30 PM)
  • Where: The Theatre Lab, 733 8th St NW, Washington, DC 20001 map
  • Fee: $15 – Adults $10 – Students
  • Volunteer Info: Ushering, concession sales, etc.
  • Contact: Dane Petersen, (202) 824-0449
  • For more information: click here

 

Friday, August 18, 2017

Macbeth

The Theatre Lab School of the Dramatic Arts

A unique vision of Shakespeare’s tragedy, this production of Macbeth will be told through the eyes of the three witches who create a story and then must deal its consequences. Always present, these witches create worlds and shape the tides of fate around the characters, birthing a tale about revenge and ambition’s terrible cost.

Event Information

  • When: Friday, August 18, 2017 (7:30 AM)
  • Where: The Theatre Lab, 733 8th St NW, Washington, DC 20001 map
  • Fee: $15 – Adults $10 – Students
  • Volunteer Info: Ushering, concessions sales, etc.
  • Contact: Dane Petersen, (202) 824-0449
  • For more information: click here

Around Town 5/18-26

Around town template (6)

Thursday, May 18, 2017

CASA in the Community: Stream Clean-up

Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA)/Prince George’s County
Join CASA for a day in the community! As part of our events in honor of National Foster Care Month, CASA staff and volunteers as well as other members of our neighborhood will work to clean up the stream behind our office which is a part of the Anacostia watershed. We will have support from the Alice Ferguson Foundation and the Prince George’s County Department of the Environment, Sustainable Initiatives Division. Come join us for a day of giving back as we contribute to the beautification of our neighborhood and cleanliness of the Anacostia watershed. Lunch for volunteers will be sponsored by Douglas Development. Sign up to join us!

When: Thu May 18 2017 (11:30 AM – 3:00 PM)
Where: CASA Headquarters, 6811 Kenilworth Avenue, Riverdale, MD 20737
Fee: no
Volunteer Info: Volunteers will use provided tools and supplies to help to clean litter out of the stream and nearby embankment
Contact: Kara Bundy, (301) 209-0491
For more information: click here

The Crucible

The Theatre Lab School of the Dramatic Arts
The Crucible is Arthur Miller’s retelling of hysteria surrounding the Salem Witch trials written when America was experiencing similar fears over communism. Long considered an American classic.

When: Thu May 18 2017 (7:30 PM)
Where: The Theatre Lab, 733 8th St NW, Washington, DC 20001
Fee: yes $15 – Adults $10 – Students
Volunteer Info: Ushering, concession sales, etc.
Contact: Dane Petersen, (202) 824-0449
For more information: click here

Friday, May 19, 2017

The Crucible

The Theatre Lab School of the Dramatic Arts
The Crucible is Arthur Miller’s retelling of hysteria surrounding the Salem Witch trials written when America was experiencing similar fears over communism. Long considered an American classic.

Saturday, May 20, 2017

Kids to Parks Day

National Park Trust
Kids to Parks Day is a nation-wide day of outdoor play organized by National Park Trust (NPT) in cooperation with a host of local and national collaborators. Next year’s KTP Day will be held on Saturday, May 20, 2017, the week before the official start of summer. NPT is encouraging childrenacross the country to explore their neighborhood parks and discover science, history, nature and adventure right around the corner or just across town. Visit us at kidstoparks.org. Note: The address listed is the National Park Trust corporate office. Events will be held nationwide.

When:Sat May 20 2017 (00:00 AM – 11:45 PM)
Where:Nationwide, 401 E. Jefferson St., Rockville, MD 20850
Fee:no
Contact:Chris Reif, (301) 279-7275
For more information:click here

Laurel Community Day 5K & 1 Mile Walk

First Generation College Bound
Laurel Advocacy & Referral Services, Inc. (LARS) and First Generation College Bound (FGCB) are joining forces for a 5K to kick off Laurel High School’s Community Day! The 5K run and 1 mile walk begin at McCullough Field on Saturday, May 20th, starting at 8AM and following Laurel’s official5K course through Riverfront Park and Old Towne. All proceeds from this joint fundraiser will be split between LARS and FGCB to help advance our shared vision for the Laurel community: a place where everyone has the support they need to rise above difficult economic circumstances. After the 5K, the fun continues just up the road at Laurel High School, including a car show, food trucks, a moon bounce, and more from 11-3PM. Pick up your race packet and t-shirt on Friday, May 19th from 3-6PM at LARS (311 Laurel Ave, Laurel MD 20707). Registration and packet pick-up is also available on the morning of the race at McCullough Field, starting at 7AM. Registration for runners and walkers is $35 after May 1 and includes a commemorative race t-shirt. Visit www.laureladvocacy.org to register online or to download a paper registration form. Can’t make it this year? Register as a “sleepwalker” and you’ll still receive a race t-shirt! Contact Laura Wellford at (301) 776-0442 ext. 27 or lwellford@laureladvocacy.org for more information or Nickole Conyngham at (301) 490-0911 or nconyngham@fgcb.org on sponsoring, participating, or volunteering.

When:Sat May 20 2017 (08:00 AM)
Where:McCullough Field, Montgomery & 8th Street, Laurel, MD 20707
Fee:yes $35
Volunteer Info:course marshals, clean up, set up, refreshments
Contact:Nickole Conyngham, (301) 490-0911

Eiko Otake

Dance Place
A Body in Places is Eiko Otake’s first solo project, the scale of which varies radically between locations and incorporates both performative and non-performative elements. Central to the project is a drive to explore non-traditional venues and to respond to the innate characteristics of each specificplace. At the core of each variant is Eiko alone on a colorful futon, projecting and exploring solitude, gaze, fragility and intimacy. In Eiko & Komas performances, two bodies represent drama even when the other was absent. A Body in Places does not offer such drama. Performing as a soloist, Eiko Otake willfully partners with the particularities of places and viewers. In October 2014, Eiko Otake launched A Body in Places project with the photo exhibition A Body in Fukushima and her performance A Body in a Station in 30th Street Station in Philadelphia. The durational performances began Eiko’s exploration of how the fragility of the body within public places mutually affects and is affected by the gaze of passers by. Eiko Otake will be bringing her A Body in Places project to 8th St NE for a residency: Saturday, May 20 11:00 am: FREE Outdoor Performance of A Body in Places at the Brookland’s Monroe Street Farmer’s Market on the Arts Walk at Monroe Street Market (716 Monroe St NE) 7:00pm: FREE Outdoor performance of A Body in Places on 8th St NE, concluding in Dance Place’s Cafritz Foundation Theater and followed by A Body in Fukushima lecture / photo demonstration (Dance Place, 3225 8th St NE)

When:Sat May 20 2017 (11:00 AM)
Where:Dance Place 8th Street Arts Park, 3225 8th Street NE, Washington, District Of Columbia 20017
Fee:no
Contact:Amanda Blythe, (202) 269-1608
For more information:click here

The Crucible

The Theatre Lab School of the Dramatic Arts
The Crucible is Arthur Miller’s retelling of hysteria surrounding the Salem Witch trials written when America was experiencing similar fears over communism. Long considered an American classic.

Sunday, May 21, 2017

Red Shoe 5K Run and Walk

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Washington, DC
7th Annual Red Shoe 5K Run and Walk. Kids Fun

When:Sun May 21 2017 (09:00 AM)
Where:Dulles Station, Herndon, VA, Dulles Station, Herndon, VA 20171
Fee:yes $35 for adult participation ($40 day of)
Volunteer Info:General race assistance, manning sign-in tables, distributing refreshments etc
Contact:Kristen Claus, (202) 529-8204
For more information:click here

Thursday, May 25, 2017

Senior PGA Championship

LIFT-DC
Volunteer on behalf of LIFT-DC to staff one of the food vending stations during the Senior PGA Championship. Each completed 6-8 hour volunteer shift on behalf of LIFT-DC results in a donation to our organization. Volunteers receive one parking passes and one meal during the day of their shift, as wellas a non-transferable complimentary pass that allows volunteers to watch tournament play before/after their shifts.

When:Thu May 25 2017 (07:00 AM – 7:00 PM)
Where:20391 Lowes Island Blvd, Potomac Falls, VA 20165
Fee:no
Volunteer Info:Volunteers will staff food vending stations for 6-8 hour shifts where they will take food orders, serve food and/or helping staff the cash register.
Contact:David Wyman, (202) 750-8417

Friday, May 26, 2017

Senior PGA Championship

LIFT-DC
Volunteer on behalf of LIFT-DC to staff one of the food vending stations during the Senior PGA Championship. Each completed 6-8 hour volunteer shift on behalf of LIFT-DC results in a donation to our organization. Volunteers receive one parking passes and one meal during the day of their shift, as wellas a non-transferable complimentary pass that allows volunteers to watch tournament play before/after their shifts.

When:Fri May 26 2017 (07:00 AM – 7:00 PM)
Where:20391 Lowes Island Blvd, Potomac Falls, VA 20165
Fee:no
Volunteer Info:Volunteers will staff food vending stations for 6-8 hour shifts where they will take food orders, serve food and/or helping staff the cash register.
Contact:David Wyman, (202) 750-8417

Around Town 8/15-8/21

We hope everyone’s enjoying August! We at Catalogue are all pleasantly pay for someone to write your essay surprised by the lack of humidity this month! This upcoming week brings Happy Hours, baseball games, a day of fishing, and a powerful doc screening. An eclectic batch of events brought to you by Catalogue nonprofits, hope to see you at an event!

Continue reading